Holistic Health in Lincoln, NE – 2018

You know how flight attendants tell you that, in the case of an emergency, to always put your oxygen mask on first before you help others? Well, the same approach is applicable in life. You need to take care of yourself so that you are able to live your life to the fullest, allowing you to give others your best.

With that in mind, we wanted to ask some professionals about the importance of different holistic health practices and how these practices can be incorporated into a daily routine. If you Google the term “holistic” in regards to health, you’ll find that it describes the treatment of the whole person, taking into account mental and social factors, rather than just the physical symptoms of a disease. Holistic health encompasses mind, body, and spirit. It acknowledges that all these aspects of life, which every human embodies, are related. If one suffers, they all suffer.

Self-care is certainly essential, but before we explore the nature of it, we want to address two falsehoods associated with it. First, self-care is not selfish. There is nothing wrong with taking care of yourself; doing so will only allow you to take care of the other people in your life even better. Chances are you’re familiar with the saying that you can’t pour out an empty bucket. This sentiment rings true in our ears and we hope that, as a result of this article, it does for you and all our readers as well. The second myth is that self-care is something you have to do alone. This couldn’t be less true. Achieving “your best self” shouldn’t be a journey you embark on by yourself. Having people at your side who will cheer you on and hold you accountable will make the uphill climbs seem like a fun walk in the park with your friends. So, as you make a plan to incorporate more self-care initiatives into your life, rally together a team! Or as Ann Ringlein with Lincoln Running Company calls it, a “tribe.”

“I don’t think anyone doubts the health benefits of exercise. Every study done on the matter shows that regular exercise reduces the risk of diseases, builds stronger bones, results in a longer life, and increases the amount of endorphins in our brains which make us happier. Yet, finding the motivation to exercise can still be a struggle,” notes Ann.

“I believe we all have great intentions to exercise, we really do, but that one voice (your own) is generally not enough to put those intentions into action. Several voices are needed and that is where your ‘tribe’ comes in. A tribe can be a class at the gym. You might not even know most of their names, but they are the ones who will notice if you are missing. A tribe can be the group waiting at the trailhead for you as you head out on run or bike ride. A tribe can be the person on the other end of the phone asking how the injury is. Not every ‘tribe’ looks the same, but the concept remains consistent: A group that cares about you and wants you to move as much as you do!”

Ann continues to say, “Science suggests that our well-being is influenced by the company we keep, so our exercise routine is strongly influenced by our families, friends, co-workers, roommates… pretty much anyone we surround ourselves with the most. Healthy, moving people are generally more positive and can be a good influence on your obesity, anxiety, and overall happiness. You obviously can’t pick your family or coworkers, but you can seek out friends who will encourage you instead of weigh you down.

Right now, the weather is moderate and the daylight hours are still fairly long. Going outside for a run or heading to the gym before or after work doesn’t seem too terrible… but winter is coming. Soon, the sounds of the wind will scream misery and the darkness will send us home at night to the comfort of our couches. There has never been a more crucial time to assemble your tribe than right now. You can either find one or make one, it doesn’t matter–you just need one!”

If you don’t already have people in your life who can be the accountability partners you need to achieve your fitness goals, look into Capital City Fitness & Performance. They are the only Training for Warriors (TFW) affiliate in Lincoln. What separates the TFW system from other training programs is its culture. Although TFW encompasses signature warm-ups, speed training, strength training, endurance training, flexibility work, and nutrition, the most important component of the system is its motivational approach and family environment.

At Training For Warriors – Lincoln, you’re not just another number.  Once you commit, you’re officially part of their community, which they refer to as their “Familia.” You will have people behind you and next to you pushing you to be a better, stronger version of yourself every single day.

TFW is not designed as a sport or competition, but focuses on you competing against and bettering your body, mind, and spirit. Not only will you get great lessons in physical training, but you will also be armed with valuable life lessons. It’s all a part of their philosophy of “Bringing Out the Warrior Within.”

An exercise plan has to work for your schedule, your preferences, and your body. Between work, family, social life, and other commitments, the thought of adding another obligation to list may seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of brisk exercise per week, along with resistance training twice a week.

Another rule of thumb that you’ve probably heard before is doing a 30-minute activity everyday that gets your heart rate up. This will improve your health tremendously, and 30 minutes really isn’t asking that much, which is exactly the concept that the 9Round Fitness model is built on.

“We often see individuals that are simply not active enough. There is a level of intimidation when it comes to starting a new fitness routine and a lot of the time, it seems easier to just stay at home or do something else that you are more comfortable with,” comments Trevor Vettel with 9Round Fitness at the north Lincoln location off of 84th and Adams. “At 9Round, we facilitate a fun 30-minute, full-body kickboxing-themed workout. We also always have a trainer on the floor to direct our clients through the workout so there is no guesswork, and we offer nutritional guidance to create a more balanced healthy lifestyle. When you become more active through exercise, you start to feel better about yourself; you feel yourself becoming stronger and you can do things that you thought you would never be able to do. Specifically with kickboxing at 9Round, there is something about kicking and punching things that truly releases stress! Everyone has stress, so having an outlet for that is huge.

Some people feel like they need to be in shape before they start a fitness routine like 9Round, but that is not necessary. A lot of the time the hardest thing to do is walk through the door of 9Round, or any gym for that matter. That door can feel like it weighs 1,000 lbs sometimes. Getting through the door and meeting with a trainer is the first step, which is the most important step to starting a healthy lifestyle.

My healthy lifestyle starts with being active through exercise five to six times a week. I look to do at least 30 minutes of exercise during these days. Initially, we always think exercise is only for losing weight, gaining muscle, getting more toned, etc, but the effects exercise has on my mental health are amazing. Overall exercise helps me with my self confidence and allows me to better tackle the tough curveballs life can sometimes throw.”

“For those of you who are business owners, healthy employees are happier and are more efficient in their day to day tasks,” Trevor adds. “Working out with coworkers is a great team building exercise that can help foster relationships, as well. We only get one body and now is the time to take care of it.”

When we talked to Jeff Madsen with Right Foot Forward Fitness, he pointed out that when people consider the benefits of exercise they frequently overlook the positive impact it can make on mental health. According to “The Exercise Effect” published by the American Psychological Association (By Kirsten Weir December 2011, Vol 42, No. 11 Print version: page 48);

“There’s good epidemiological data to suggest that active people are less depressed than inactive people. And people who were active and stopped tend to be more depressed than those who maintain or initiate an exercise program,” says James Blumenthal, PhD, a clinical psychologist at Duke University.

In a separate study, Jasper Smits, PhD and Michael Otto, Phd reasoned that regular workouts might help people prone to anxiety become less likely to panic when they experience those fight-or-flight sensations. After all, the body produces many of the same physical reactions—heavy perspiration, increased heart rate—in response to exercise. They tested their theory among 60 volunteers with heightened sensitivity to anxiety. Subjects who participated in a two-week exercise program showed significant improvements in anxiety sensitivity compared with a control group (Depression and Anxiety, 2008). “Exercise in many ways is like exposure treatment,” says Smits. “People learn to associate the symptoms with safety instead of danger.”

“Although anecdotal, my own experience with exercise is that a regular planned approach brings me a sense of well-being, a sense of focus and resourcefulness that I didn’t have before,” shares Jeff. “To me, this is even more valuable than the increased physical vitality and energy that fitness has provided me with. Sharing these benefits with others is what motivates me every day!”

An equally important consideration when it comes to your health is your diet; and let us emphasize the word equally. If you are exercising regularly but you’re still eating junk food all the time, you’re not going to get the results you want.

“Eating healthy is an important aspect when it comes to healthy living. Combining healthy eating and exercise is the best form of that,” confirms Jacob Jones with Eat Fit Go. “Health and nutrition has always been a topic that interested me. It interested me so much, in fact, that I decided to study it in college.

Not everyone has a background in health and nutrition, though, so that’s why I recommend Eat Fit Go. One of our main goals at Eat Fit Go is to provide healthy food for people who don’t know how to cook or prepare healthy food themselves. We also provide healthy food for people who are interested in meal prepping but do not have the time it takes to fully prepare a week’s worth of food. Eating healthy in the right portions can drastically change a person’s way of living in a good way. Having the opportunity to help people achieve their goals is one of the best perks of my job.

Eat Fit Go offers chef-driven, fresh, never frozen healthy meals in the right proportions. We have different guidelines that support a number of different meal plans and diets and we also offer gluten free and dairy free options as well. The meals at Eat Fit Go contain all of the nutritional information as well as the ingredients so our customers know exactly what they are consuming. Our employees are also trained to know exactly what is in every single meal to ensure that they are capable of providing the correct nutritional advice and information.”

Trevor concluded by adding, “The best advice that I can give with integrated/holistic health is that doing research on the different forms of health care can never hurt anyone. It is important for someone to know how these methods work, and what the costs and benefits actually are. It is best to know what you’re involved in rather than going in blind and being caught off guard.”

Drs. Ashley and Troy Hayes with Express Life Chiropractic couldn’t agree more. “When it comes to holistic health, it’s not just about looking your best, it’s about actually functioning your best,” Dr. Ashley Hayes emphasizes. “Having a flat stomach, big muscles, or clear skin are not the final measurements of good health. There are many underlying issues a person could have, but they don’t address them because they can’t be seen with the naked eye.

At Express Life Chiropractic, we neurologically-based and we address your health at its core: the nervous system. Your spinal cord is what allows your brain and your body to communicate with each other. It is the pathway for impulses from the body to the brain, and from the brain to the body. Without the right signals from our brain, our organs cannot function properly. This is why, if any part of this pathway is under stress or disrupted in any way, it will affect other functions of our body. For example, headaches/migraines, trouble sleeping, asthma, allergies, bed wetting, ADHD, low energy, acid reflux… the list goes on and on! Literally every body part is controlled by the brain, spinal cord, and nerves; therefore, directly affecting the nervous system helps to find the root cause of health concerns and find relief.

This means that seeing a chiropractor isn’t reserved for solely back pain or neck pain related issues. There could be nerve interference happening at the vertebral level that you don’t know about, so taking a look at your spinal cord could be the best thing you do for your health right now.”

With chiropractic having entered its second century, Express Life Chiropractic utilizes Torque Release Technique, which involves using The Integrator (the only FDA approved chiropractic instrument), so there’s no twisting, popping, or cracking. This up-to-date, functional, scientific, neurologically based model is the most advanced chiropractic technique available today. They also utilize state-of-the-art technology on everyone to assess the nervous system to see the underlying issues and track objectively to make sure that things are always improving.

Chiropractic care is completely natural healthcare. It can, without drugs or surgery, create optimum function of the central nervous system and has been shown to correct ailments that are far removed from their proximity to the spine, creating a true experience of health and vitality.

Another natural form of health care is massage therapy. “The art and science of massage therapy is centered around holistic health,” says Erin Lange with 5 Elements Massage. “The idea is to help your body make the right decisions verse the wrong ones throughout one’s life. Every day we do things to our bodies that go against their natural design, like sitting at a desk eight hours a day, strenuous heavy lifting, or being bent over for a long period of time working on a car or cleaning someone’s teeth. When we choose to push through the pain, our bodies will eventually adjust to these motions, making these tasks less painful. However, no matter the level of pain, this can still be dangerous.

Nerves could get pinched by muscles changing positions, which is how we get ‘knots.’  When the components within the bloodstream, like metabolic waste or depleted red blood cells (AKA toxins), get pushed into areas they aren’t meant to be, the blood flow works around it. If you don’t work it back into the muscles, they’ll get sore. Throw in dehydration and stress, you have yourselves a knot party!”

Everyone can use a massage for just about anything, whether it’s a bad day, there’s been a tragedy in the family, you didn’t sleep well the night before, or just the basic need for some relaxation. People who are mostly stressed out with daily life are the ones who benefit the most.  Combining human touch and quality muscle manipulation, the stress gene can reduce production in the body. You can reduce sickness by 20% by getting massages regularly. The idea is to help boost your immune system by removing all the excess hormones/stress genes.

Health is just as much a mental thing as it is a physical thing. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is give your mind a chance to unwind. A place to go for this kind of mental detox, if you will, is Lost and Float. Floating is an effective and effortless way to start your journey towards a better life. If you’ve never heard of floating before, let Levi Wertz with Lost in Float explain.

“Floating involves a tank filled with water that has enough Epsom salt mixed in to allow a person to float effortlessly on the surface. The water is kept at skin-temperature, making it imperceptible, and the tank is soundproof and pitch-black, creating a place for our bodies to be free from gravity and all stimulation from the outside world. We believe that 60 minutes of floating will naturally guide you toward finding your happy, healing your body, and unleashing your potential.

A float tank is not as much an object as it is an environment; one that allows our bodies and minds to sink away from everything around us and focus internally. The health benefits of floating include stress relief (lowers cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and ACTH), boost of creativity (recall and recognition), enhance job performance, increased focus, mental clarity, and personal growth. Floating is known to even help with depression and anxiety.

Another form of healing we offer is whole-body cryotherapy (WBC). WBC is the process of exposing the body to hyper cooled air -200°F to -240°F, triggering the body’s natural healing mechanisms as though it were freezing. Blood will accumulate in the body’s core in order to become warmed, and your capillaries will expand to approximately 4 times their normal diameter. White blood cells will flow through your body faster, accelerating the healing process by up to 50%. During this 2-3 minute process, the brain stimulates the body’s organ regulatory functions resulting in energy increase, cell rejuvenation, immune system boost, and overall system self-healing.”

Many people make excuses for why they don’t give themselves the self-care they need; the biggest excuse being that they just don’t have the time. At Strictly Business, we feel that there is always time to make health a priority. There is a fitting quote by Deepak Chopra that drives this point home: “If you don’t take care of your health today, you will be forced to take care of your illness tomorrow.”